Date of intake:: 5/23/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, with history (approx a couple months)

Previously lived with:: Adults

Behavior toward strangers:: Wheaton will jump up, playful and fearful

Behavior toward children:: Wheaton is playful and friendly

Behavior toward dogs:: Wheaton is friendly and outgoing, will whine and pull towards them

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Wheaton has a tense body/hover over when his food bowl is touched.

Bite history:: Wheaton has bitten a person and the bite did not break skin. Wheaton's owner stated that the Wheaton, is very easily aroused, high energy and was trying to play and was jumping up on them nonstop and was able to nip and scratch them. The owner stated that the bite to the lip didn't break skin, the lip was swollen and that Wheaton scratched them when jumping up. None of the bites or scratches broke skin.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Very High

Other Notes:: Wheaton's previous owner states that he jumps up nonstop, pulls really hard on leash, mouthy/takes treats rough. When he sees strangers on the street he will jump up on them for attention and present belly for pets. When being collared or his harness being put on he will try to bite the harness. He isn't bothered when he is held/restrained, disturbed when sleeping, startled or push/pulled off furniture. It is unknown when his paws are touched. Wheaton's previous owner describes him as an active and playful dog that liked to be where the people are. He may know the cues sit, stay, and wait.

Date of assessment:: 5/27/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: Mild Leash walking comments:Whimpered/ whined towards dogs Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches handler readily Sociability comments: Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Mouths handlers hand with moderate pressure Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler exuberantly Knock Knock comments: Approaches handler readily Toy Toy comments: Grips light, relinquishes

Summary:: 5/29/25: Wheaton greets another dog at the gate with a loose and wiggly body.

Summary (7):: 6/14/25: Wheaton is at the front of the kennel with a soft body and wagging tail. He is easily leashed and pulls moderately out of the room. Handler tosses some treats in the elevator to lure him in and he follows after them quickly pulling hard. He is taken to the street where he jumps on the handler briefly and is directed down with treats. He relieves himself and then is walked back to the shelter. He sees a familiar handler and as they talk to him from a distance, he becomes wiggly bodied and has a wagging tail when they talk to him. After, Wheaton is brought back upstairs and he's returned to kennel without issue. 6/11/25: Wheaton is reported to be rope reactive, and caught the handler's hand. No broken skin. 6/7/25: Wheaton is standing at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He begins jumping at the door as the handler unlocks it. He continues to jump at the door as the handler tries to leash him. He is able to be leashed while being distracted with treats. He then pulls hard on the way downstairs for a walk. On the walk, he would continuously pull hard ahead and would jump up very high near the handler's face and tries to grab the leash. The handler had to gently stiff arm him each time he jumped up and then he is able to sit and receive treats. He would chase after treats that the handler would toss on the ground for him. He pulls on the way back to his kennel and is able to enter with no issues. 5/27/25: Wheaton is at the front of the kennel with a loose and wiggly body and wagging tail, he is easily leashed and pulls moderately out of the room. Wheaton is brought to the street where he will jump on his hind legs to look into car windows. He will run forward with in a burst of exuberance before returning to pulling moderately. When a crowd of people passed. Handler stands off to the side and has Wheaton sit as they pass. He is given treats and takes them gently. After the walk, Wheaton is brought to the assessment room where he greets assessor with a loose and wiggly body, when the collar presented he begins to jump up exuberantly. Cheese is used to distract him while he is collared. After his assessment, Wheaton is returned to kennel without issue.

Date of intake:: 5/23/2025

Summary:: Barking in crate, allowed leashing, entered kennel without issue

Date of initial:: 5/23/2025

Summary:: Loose wiggly body, eager to interact with staff, jumping up on staff socially, muzzled as a precauti

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Wheaton so we cannot be certain of his behavior in a home environment. However, he will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy and enthusiasm.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 4

Recommendations:: No children (under 13)

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to a low threshold for arousal we recommend an adult only home.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Handling/touch sensitivity,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting,Strength/leash pulling,Low threshold for arousal,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will become tense body/hover over when his food bowl is touched. We recommend that Wheaton be left alone while eating, and that food guarding behavior modification steps (available at ASPCApro.org) be utilized if this behavior is problematic in their future home. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Wheaton's mouth. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Basic Manners: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will jump up non stop. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Sit" and "Off" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach them to control their impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners. Mouthiness: Wheaton's previous owner states that he is mouthy and will take treats rough. During his assessment Wheaton mouthed the handlers hand with moderate pressure. We recommend never playing with bare hands, always with a toy, and ending play or attention whenever Wheaton puts teeth on skin. They should be rewarded with attention and treats when they stop and/or when they are seeking attention in alternate ways. Please see handout on Mouthiness. Bite History (Human): Please see bite history above for more details. Please see handout on Bite History and Potential for Future Aggression. Handling Sensitivity: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will try and bite the collar/ harness when it is being put on. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach Wheaton to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. On Leash Reactivity: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will whine and pull towards dogs while on leash. They will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other dogs. See handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration. Leash Biting: Wheaton has been observed to jump up and bite the leash, catching the handlers hand while doing so. Please see handout on Leash Manners. Leash Pulling: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will pull very hard on leash. It is recommended that they be walked on a front clip harness or head halter, which will help diminish their strength through leverage, and that they be trained using positive reinforcement, reward based training to not pull on leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners. Arousal: Wheaton's previous owner states that he will quickly become over aroused and begin to jump up on handers. Wheaton should be rewarded with treats when calm. If they escalate to jumping or mouthing, people should immediately walk away from and separate themselves from Wheaton. Please see handout on Arousal.